Educational device



June 1 9 1926. 1,586,960

B. L. BOWEN EDUCATIONAL DEVICl.

Filed May 24, 1924 gal @171 Patented lane 1, lfiiti,

ili lilfli are asserts BER'I'INA LIBOWEN, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE.

Application filed May 24, 1924. Serial No. 715,531.

My present invention relates to educational appliances, and it is an especial object of this invention to provide improved means for use in the beginning of instruction in reading, or in the beginning of phonetic instruction preliminary to reading or writing.

It is an object or" this invention to provide a set of movable objects or associations 01. objects which may be regarded and referred to as phonetic toys, each toy being intrinsically attractive and suitable for use in the play of young children, and each toy being moreover selected with reference to its suitability for association with a particular sound. Each may optionally be provided with a corresponding letter, and it is advantageous that the units referred to be suitable for arrangement in groups representing words. In a preferred embodiment of my invention, the respective objects or associations of objects may be selected with reference to their capability oi producing the various sounds or combinations of sounds which are to be associated therewith.

It is well known that, as is briefly but clearly set forth in, for example, a chapter on hieroglyphics in The Story of Mankind,

by Hendrik van Loon (Boni & Liveright),

pp. 172l, the first steps on": a phonetic sys tem of writing may naturally utilize representations of objectsto signify sounds. It is a purpose of this invention to provide a set or sets of objects capable of easy associzn 'tion with specific vowels or consonants or combinations thereof; and, in a preferred embodiment of my invention, suitable for use in the giving of initial lessonsl'o very young children, such consonants as are to be employed. in the mentioned initiallessons may be representedby animals or machines having an int riusic interest and also capable of uttering orgivingrise to sounds similar to those that are to be associated therewith,

Instead of employing; exclusively such toys or representations oi objects as might adapt the same to a system of pasigraphy, capable of use in any language whatever, I may optionally utilize, to any desired extent, toys comprising; the figure of an infant associated with object whose name; he may be assumed to be attempting toprenoui esentint; a baby example, appropriate torassociation with the short sound of a; and, in a preferred embodiment of my invention, I may employ, for association with all the ordinary short sounds of the common En lish vowels, toys representing babies reaching for various familiar objects whose names may begin with the desired short vowel sounds. In order to aid the learner in asso ciating these respective sounds with the letters by which they are ordinarily represented, the respective letters referred to may optionally be permanently or removably be aiiixed to the corresponding objects, or to bases respectively supporting the same.

ihe use of pictorial representations to sug gest sounds being already familiar in the being, for

teaching of reading by a phonetic method (as in the See and Say Series, published by the Iroquois Publishing Company), it is an object of my present invention to take a step in advance of thepictorial method by providing actual movable units, which a child may at first regard simply toys, arranging them in'any desired relativepositions, but which are preferably provided with uniform rectangular bases adapting them to be arranged in linear series, as in the spelling' ot' words; and, in one advantageous embodiment of my inventionl may represent the rdinary short vowel sounds by means including separable ob ects adapted eitherto be positioned upon bases supaorting; babies with outstretched arms, or, alternatively, to be positioned upon one or the other of the opposite ends of base supporting a toy employedto represent a consonantal sound; and the separable objects so employed to represent vowel sounds may optionally be provided with projections adapting them to inter-lit and link together a plurality of bases of toys assembled in linear series for the representation of a single word or syllable, v

Other objects of my invention will appear from theiollowing' description and an illustrative embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figs. 13() are elevational or vertical tional views of separate. phonetic toy L at is bottom. vise at the toy shown in Pig,

26; and Fig. 32 is a perspective view of an association or assembly of toys such as may be used to spell the word t-o-g. A vowel object of an alternative form, with connecting projection, is illustrated in this figure.

In Fig. 1 is shown, partly in section, a toy suitable for association with the short sound a, this toy being shown as comprising a base, with which the figure of a baby may be integrally connected, and a representation of an apple, the latter being shown as removably mounted, to permit of the sub stitution of another object as engaging the babys attention.

In Figs. 2' to 5 inclusive are presented fragmentary sectional views suggesting respectively the substitution of an egg, (for association with the short sound an image of an Indian (for association with the short sound i,) an orange (for association with the shortsound my and an umbrella (for association with the short sound u,) each of the objects referred to being adapted for substitution in a base of the character shown in Fig. 1, and in front of its representation of a baby.

In Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive are shown toys representing a family or" sheep, the lamb disclosed in Fig. 6 being suitable. for association with the sound hi, the sister sheep of Fig, 7 being suitable for association with the sound he, the brother shown in Fig. 8 being suitable for association with the sound hi, the ewe shown in Fig. 9 being suitable for association with the sound be, and the ram shown in Fig. 10 being suitable for association with the sound bag? In Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive are shown toys which represent members of the dog family and a bear cub, the bark of the Airedale disclosed in Fig. 11 being suitable for its association with the consonant b, (as in bow wow), the panting of the dachshund o't' Fi 12 being suitable for its association with the aspirating sound of h, the latration ot' the intractable fox depicted in Fig. 13 being suitable for its association, perhaps somewhat arbitrarily, with thesound f, the howling or ululation ot' the wolf shown in Fig. 14 being suitable for association with the sound of w, and the threatening growl of the diminutive bear cub of Fig. 15 being suitable for its association with the sound of (r-J7 V A bulltrog, as shown in Fig. 16, may be associated, in consideration of the guttural quality of its gong, with the letter g; thefmoo of the cow of I ig. 17 may suggest in; and the naa of the call of Fig. 18 may serve to associate it with n. The connection of the duck 19 with the sound qu and the use of a snake to suggest .s maybe assumed to require no comment.

Somewhat arbitrarily, the continuous whirr of the lawn mower o1 Fig. 21 may adapt it for association with l; the inter mittent strokes of a compressed-air drill, as represented in Fig. 22 may be favorable to its association with the explosive letter d; the zip of the saw of Fig. 23 may be favorable to its association with z; the ticking of the watch of Fig. 2at may justity its customary association with t; and it will not be found diflicult to connect the clock of Fig. 25 with the hard sound of c (or, later, with k, or with ck).

The putting of the tug shown in Fig. 26 will permit of its association with p; the continuous hum of the aeroplane of Fig. 27

may permit of its association with the socalled consonantal sound o'l y; an escape of steam may be regarded as producing a sound favorable to the associating of the locomotive of Fig. 28 with the letter K; a moving trolley car, Fig. 29, may be regarded as giving rise continuously to the sound of v; and the engine of the motorboat shown in Fig. 30 may be regarded as producing a series 0t js. 7

My toys are adapted to be set up like type, and each of the mentioned toys, or any preferred equivalent toys, may optionally be adapted to rest either on their bases or on their sides, displaying the under surfaces of their bases; and the under surtac referred to may optionally be provided, as shown in Fig. 31, corresponding to Fig. 26, with an appropriate letter or letters, the construction here referred to being such that, when the toys of a series are standing on their bases, the mentioned letters may be concealed, although the tilting of the respective toys may be etl ective to expose the said letters and at the same time throw the respective animals or objects into inconspicuous or concealed positions. At the beginning of study, emphasis may thus be placed upon the connecting of a specific sound with a particular object; and emphasis may subsequently be placed upon the corresponding connection between a specific letter and a particular sound. Instead of, or in addition to, characters on the lower sides 01 the respective toys, I may provide on each, as shown, a pocket or other means for the re movable retention of a card, or the like, on which may be displayed the letter or letters to be associated therewith. As may be deemed best, a plurality oi pockets may be provided, as shown, for example, in Fig. 25,the pockets shown on the clock toy en hibited in this figure being respectively intended to receive cards mmrked, c, it, and oh. The fact that these characters may have equivalent phonetic value is thus conveniently emphasized.

The foregoing examples will suffice to indicate that, although asingle toy may ordinarily represent a single sound or a single letter, one toy may optionally be employed to represent a combination of sounds or letters, alternative combinations may be employed to represent the same sound or combination of sounds, and the selection of a. particular toy to be associated with a particular sound may be made either upon an arbitrary or an onomatopoeticbasis. In general, word-building exercises are believed to be so familiar to teachers as to require no specific rescription here; but

my set of toys makes it possible to begin such exercises at an earlier date and to progress therein more rapidly and more pleasurably than heretofore.

Any suitable material (suolr as a rubber composition, or sheet-metal, or celluloid) may be employed in the construction of my novel phonetic toys; and I may either form the respective units entirely integral and separate or I may adapt some or all of them to permit substitutions and linkages in, for example, the general manner suggested in Figs. 15 inclusive and in Fig. 32. That is to say, the base 50 of a toy such as is shown in Fig. 1 may be integral with the image of ababy, 51, shown as reaching and leaning toward an object in front of it; and the said object, shown as an apple, 52, may be provided with one or more projections 58, suitable to enter an opening or openings, 53', for its removable retention in such manner as to permit of the ready substitution of the egg 6 of Fig. 2, the Indian 71 of Fig. 3, the orange 0 of Fig. 4, the umbrella u of Fig. 5, or any other object provided with similar projections and suitable for association with a particular vowel or other sound,-it' being understood that all of my described toys are cited merely as examples. It will be obvious that, if desired, as soon as the intended sounds and letters are successfully connected with vowel objects such as are shown in Figs. 2-5 inclusive, these objects .ia-y optionally be used as linking elements in the building of words, in the general manner suggested in Fig. 82,-wherein the word to-g is spelled by means of a fox toy f (standing for f), an orange toy 0 (standing for short o), and a frog toy (standing for g). It will be obvious that, although any desired alternative means may be employed for the representation or suggestion of vowel sounds, additional objects may be provided at will for use in addition to or in place of the vowel objects above suggested as suitable for association with the familiar short sounds of single vowels. To permit the use of vowel objects in the manner suggested in Fig. 32, or before or after any desired toy representing a consonant, each vowel object may optionally be provided with a substantially parallel pair of the pins or projections Do; and openings 53* adapted to receive the same, may be provided in the ends of the bases of any or all of the toys with which said Vowel objects may, vin word-building play or lessons, be connected.

It isregarded as a great and conclusive merit of the system of instruction to which my toys are adapted that said toys may make the initial steps of learning to read both rational and. pleasant, as well as constructive in character.

Although I have herein described an advantageous embodiment of my invention with suilicient completeness to enable the sameto be understood. and employed in the instruction of beginners, it will be understood. that my invention is in no sense limited to the particular toys or features of construction above-mentioned for purposes of illustration, the actual scope of my invention being indicated in the following claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In means for the teaching of reading, font of movable phonetic toys comprising representations of objects respectively suitable for onomatopoetic association with different single sounds, said toys initially displaying no letters when disposed upright but being respectively provided with means for optionally displaying a letter or co1nbination of letters by which said sounds may be represented.

2. In means for the teaching of reading by movable phonetic toys: a font of movable phonetic toys comprising vowel objects provided with means for removably securing the same to bases.

3. In means for the teaching of reading, a font of movable phonetic toys including vowel toys each comprising a base supporting a vowel image of a baby reaching for an object whose name begins with a. vowel.

l. In vowel toys of the character referred to in claim 3, vowel objects separable from said bases.

5. In vowel toys of the character referred to in claim 8, vowel objects adapted to serve to link toys representing consonants in the formation of words.

6.Educat1onal toys comprising bases,

representations of objects suitable for one tion beginning in play and including formation of Word symbols, initially assembled without display of alphabetic characters, said means comprising: a font of movable, three-dimensional image toys, each 5 toy hing adapted to be onomatopcetically associated uniformly with the same selected single sound 01' syllable, and adapted also to be subsequently associated with the cori'esponding alphabetic character 01' characters, each sound 01' syllable being always 10 represented by a like toy and each toy being provided with means permitting a delayed display of a letter not initially visible.

BERTINA L. BOW/EN. 

